“The world’s game is coming to the greatest city in the world,” Johnson said Tuesday.
In Los Angeles, Johnson joined in a celebration marking one month until the World Cup arrives in town. Meanwhile, in New York, representatives of Major League Baseball and its players’ union held the first session of collective bargaining negotiations widely expected to be so contentious that the 2027 season could be in jeopardy.
The Dodgers might not be the lone reason for the dispute, but they are Exhibit A. For these negotiations, the owners have shifted their benchmark for competitive balance from making the playoffs to winning the World Series.
No small-market team has won the World Series since the Kansas City Royals in 2015, and the Dodgers last year became the first team in 25 years to win back-to-back championships.
If you’re a Dodgers fan, these are the best of times. If you own one of the other 29 teams, you can complain that you cannot sell championship hope and faith if the Dodgers are spending five times as much as the Cleveland Guardians.
On the day the negotiations started, the Guardians were in first place in the American League Central. Of the first-place teams in the six divisions, four reside in small markets: Cleveland, San Diego, Tampa Bay and Sacramento/Las Vegas. The team with the highest payroll in the majors — not the Dodgers, but the New York Mets — had the worst record in the majors.
On opening day, Dodgers chairman Mark Walter told me this: “Here’s what the problem is: Money helps us win. We can’t win all the time. We’ve got to have some parity.”
So, after the soccer talk was done Tuesday, I asked Johnson what a Dodgers fan should think when the Dodgers chairman says the team can’t win all the time.
Johnson, who is one of Walter’s ownership partners, laughed.
“We want to win all the time,” Johnson said. “But, realistically, we can’t win all the time.”
Why not?
The Dodgers just went back-to-back, and everyone at the championship rally — including Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Dave Roberts, Andrew Friedman and even Walter himself — giddily talked about a threepeat. They run L.A. — and now Japan — and their star-studded team leads baseball in road attendance, generating money for the rival owners that complain about the Dodgers.
“Nobody can win all the time,” Johnson said. “Mark made that comment, and I think he wants — everybody wants — the game to be great. It’s great when there is parity. That’s what it’s all about. That’s what you’re seeing in the NBA now. You want the same thing in Major League Baseball.
“Do I ever want to lose? No. But it’s great for the game that it can be even and everybody has a real fair chance of winning.”
In the NBA, which has the salary cap that major league owners covet as a supposed solution to competitive balance, the Oklahoma City Thunder are eight victories from winning back-to-back championships, just like the Dodgers did. The Sacramento Kings, the kind of small-market team a salary cap is intended to lift toward parity, have made the playoffs once in the past 20 seasons.
However baseball’s owners and players resolve their differences, the almost certain lockout in December is expected to be followed by a season-threatening stare down: Do the players give in on a salary cap rather than give up their salaries for part or all of the season?
Or do the owners surrender on the salary cap, well aware that a 2027 lockout could drive away fans on the eve of media rights negotiations in 2028? After the 1994-95 strike, the average attendance did not return to prestrike levels until 2006.
And how long might the unified front Walter and the other 29 owners are putting up now last, once games and the revenues that flow from them are lost?
Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob, one of the runners-up in the sale of the Padres, said at a Sportico conference last week that his group’s bid assumed the possibility of MLB not playing the 2027 season. In order for the NHL to secure a salary cap, its owners shut down the sport for an entire season.
The Dodgers sold 4 million tickets last season. If parity would make it harder for the Dodgers to win, what would Johnson tell the team’s fans?
“We’re going to try to win all the time,” he said. “That’s what we are telling our fans. But, probably, things are going to change after this season, so we’ll see what those changes are.”
If the Dodgers do not threepeat, or even if they somehow fail to make the playoffs, no matter. The bargaining battle is on.
But the baseball gods surely had a laugh about this: On the eve of the first bargaining session, and for the first time in the Walter ownership era that started in 2012, the Dodgers lost a third consecutive game by at least five runs.
Brandon Clarke #15 of the Memphis Grizzlies goes to the basket during the second half against the Utah Jazz at FedExForum on March 12, 2025 in Memphis, Tennessee.
A barber who cut Clarke’s hair on Friday in Los Angeles told TMZ that Clarke seemed perfectly content during the haircut and that they were even watching the NBA playoffs during the appointment.
Clarke was staying with a friend from college while he was in Southern California.
The barber said they were watching Spurs-Timberwolves Game 3 when Clarke was getting his haircut.
Brandon Clarke of the Memphis Grizzlies goes to the basket during the second half against the Utah Jazz at FedExForum on March 12, 2025 in Memphis, Tennessee. Getty Images
NBC Los Angeles reported that the fire department received a 911 call shortly after 5 p.m. on Monday and that the Grizzlies player was pronounced dead at the scene.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said the league was “devastated” over Clarke’s death and called the player a “beloved teammate and leader” who “played the game with enormous passion and grit.”
The Grizzlies mourned Clarke with a statement of their own.
“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Brandon Clarke,” the Grizzlies said. “Brandon was an outstanding teammate and an even better person whose impact on the organization and the greater Memphis community will not be forgotten.
Brandon Clarke of the Memphis Grizzlies shoots a free throw during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 14, 2025. NBAE via Getty Images
“We express our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones during this difficult time.”
Clarke was taken by the Grizzlies with the 21st overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft and played in 309 NBA games, averaging 10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds.
He spent all seven seasons of his NBA career in Memphis and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2020.
Clarke appeared in two games this season due to a knee and calf injury.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MAY 06: Starting pitcher Paul Skenes #30 of the Pittsburgh Pirates reacts after pitching out of the eighth inning of the MLB game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on May 06, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Pitching Matchup: Michael Lorenzen (2-4, 6.92 ERA) vs. Paul Skenes (5-2, 2.36 ERA)
The Pittsburgh Pirates are at home with a three-game series against the visiting Colorado Rockies at beautiful PNC Park.
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May 6, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen (24) delivers a pitch against the New York Mets in the first inning at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
After spending the weekend and going 1-2 against the Philadelphia Phillies, the Colorado Rockies (16-25) will look to reset as they begin a three-game set against the Pittsburgh Pirates (22-19).
They will, however, have their work cut out for them with a much-improved Pirates squad. Moreover, Colorado has lost five-straight in Pittsburgh dating back to their last win at PNC Park on May 3, 2024.
The Rockies have gone 8-14 on the road overall but are 6-4 over their last 10 road games dating back to April 16 at Houston. The are averaging 4.4 runs per game of that span while batting .256 (90-for-351) with nine home runs. Worth noting, Rockies pitchers have posted a 4.30 ERA (88.0 IP, 42 ER) over their last 10 road games, including a 4.38 ERA (51.1 IP, 25 ER) by the starting pitchers.
Starting for the Rockies is Michael Lorenzen. This will be his tenth start for the Rockies in 2026.
The righty has a 6.92 ERA in 39.0 IP. He’s struck out 26, walked 12, and given up seven home runs. Lorenzen has a 1.90 WHIP.
He suffered his fourth loss of the season May 6 against the Mets at Coors Field, a 10-5 Rockies loss. During that outing, Lorenzen allowed seven runs on 11 hits with three walks and two strikeouts across five innings.
Taking the mound for the Pirates will be RHP and Cy Young winner Paul Skenes.
Currently, he has an ERA of 2.35 in 40.2 IP. He’s struck out 47 while giving up seven walks and allowing four home runs with a 0.71 WHIP.
He won a 1-0 decision after allowing just two hits (back-to-back singles from Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Nolan Arenado in the fourth inning) and striking out seven batters over 8.0 scoreless innings in his last start on May 6 at Arizona. Skenes became only the sixth Pirate (seventh instance) to pitch at least 8.0 scoreless innings with seven strikeouts, two or fewer hits allowed and zero walks issued in a game during the Modern Era.
He has a 1.83 career ERA (73.2ip/15er) vs. the National League West.
BOSTON, MA - MAY 10: Manager Chad Tracy #17 of the Boston Red Sox looks on from the dugout during the sixth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park on May 10, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
One of the old adages in Major League Baseball is that all teams win a third of their games, all teams lose a third of their games, and it’s that middle third that separates pretenders from the contenders. Well, let’s just say that on paper, this is one of the games that looks like a loss for Boston.
The Red Sox have Jovani Moran opening for Brayan Bello, they’re down both Roman Anthony and Willson Contreras in the lineup (although Contreras did avoid the IL today after getting hit in the hand with a pitch on Sunday), and Mickey Gasper batting second. They’re also facing Zack Wheeler, who has a 3.12 ERA and has been the second best starter all year for the Phillies.
But then again, the Red Sox were facing almost this exact same predicament last Tuesday when they were on the road in Detroit. They had Moran opening for Bello, were missing Roman Anthony from the lineup, and were facing the Tigers’ second best starter in Framber Valdez. But because baseball is baseball, they won that game going away 10-3.
Will something like that happen again tonight? And if it does, does Brayan Bello start to earn some trust tokens back in his quest to stay in the rotation? We’ll all find out together over the next few hours.
Morant shared a series of posts to his Instagram stories on Tuesday, May 12 expressing his appreciation for Clarke, who spent all seven seasons of his NBA career in Memphis with Morant.
The first post was a media day photo of Morant laughing while reaching out for a high-five from Clarke with Jaren Jackson Jr. also grinning widely on Morant's other side.
The second picture showed Clarke hugging Morant from behind during a game.
"this hurt BC," Morant said with a broken heart emoji, "love you broski. gone way too soon." He added, "its' bigger than basketball."
The third Instagram story reshared a post from Devin Walker, the Grizzlies' social/digital coordinator, paying tribute to Clarke. Morant specifically shared a video of himself walking off the court after the 2019 Summer League championship with Clarke, holding a trophy. Clarke was the game's MVP after notching a double-double with 15 points and 16 rebounds as the Grizzlies beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 95-92 to win the championship.
"I'm walking with a GOAT right here," Morant said in the video.
"still our goat," he added in the Instagram story caption with a goat emoji. "BC15"
Both players were selected in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft. Morant was taken No. 2 overall by the Grizzlies and Clarke was chosen at No. 21 by the Oklahoma City Thunder, who traded him to Memphis the same day.
BOSTON – Zack Wheeler worked so quickly (and efficiently) Tuesday night you’d have thought he was double-parked out in Kenmore Square.
Wheeler led the Phillies to a tight 2-1 win over the Boston Red Sox in Fenway Park. His recipe for success was simple: Get the ball, throw the ball, get back in the dugout.
Nineteen days before his 36th birthday and just shy of eight months after he had surgery to address thoracic outlet syndrome, Wheeler pitched 7 1/3 innings of one-run ball. He took a shutout into the seventh before the Red Sox nicked him for a run on three singles. Wheeler left the game with one out in the eighth and a runner on first base. Jose Alvarado survived some shaky work by his defense to get out of that inning with the tying run on third.
Jhoan Duran got the final three outs for the save. He recorded the final two outs with two men on base.
The win improved the Phillies to 11-3 under new manager Don Mattingly. Phillies starting pitchers have delivered nine quality starts in those 14 games.
Kyle Schwarber and Bryson Stott both hit balls over the wall for the Phillies. Schwarber homered (No. 17) for the fifth straight game, tying a team record, in the first inning and Stott clubbed a ground-rule double in the second inning for the Phillies’ second run.
The pitching did the rest. It had to because the Phillies’ bats produced just five hits.
Wheeler gave up six hits, all singles. He walked none, hit a batter and struck out four. His economy of pitches was exceptional. He threw eight or fewer pitches in four innings. He needed just 16 pitches to complete the first three innings and 59 to complete the first six. He faced one batter over the minimum over that span, thanks to two double plays.
Wheeler has won both of his career starts in Fenway Park. He’s given up just two runs in 14 1/3 innings in those games.
Given the expectations for the 2025-26 Pittsburgh Penguins heading into the regular season, the fact that general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas could include playoff discourse as part of his season-ending press conference Tuesday at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry says a lot about what he is building organizationally.
And it looks like the next steps forward are coming into focus as well.
Even though the team made tangible progress this season, Dubas stressed that there is still a "long way to go" for the Penguins to be Stanley Cup contenders to the likes of the Colorado Avalanche, Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars, Montreal Canadiens, and others. But, that said, he feels as though it's on him to deliver on that next stage in the process.
"I thought we were a good team, and at times we flirted with becoming very good, but ultimately, we are still well short of where we aspire to be, which is a contender," Dubas said. "That falls on me, and the work to push to get us there will continue."
He added: "Have we made progress? I’d say yes, we have. Are we where we want to be and aspire to be? No, not even close. And the work has continued since the minute that our season has ended and will continue through the summer. That’s what we’ll aim for is to continue to deliver contending championship hockey back to Pittsburgh."
1. Dubas is high on the prospect pool they've put together so far
Half of the press conference consisted of Dubas gushing about the prospects the Penguins already have in their system, many of which the organization believes have bright futures with the Penguins.
I did ask Dubas about - despite the discourse that core talent is usually obtained by selecting high in the draft - whether or not he believes some future pieces of a potential "core" are, indeed, already in their system.
"When it comes to the high end, you look throughout the league now, and everyone here knows it because that's what the Pittsburgh Penguins have always been about: the Penguins have always had high-end talent," Dubas said. "Obviously, there's two very notable first-overall picks, but then it's supplemented by players picked later in the first round or deeper into the draft.
"We have to find it any way that we can. That could be through trade, it could be in free agency, [or in] finding a player that goes undervalued and we're able to get more out of."
But, despite that, he gave some rave reviews for some of the top prospects in the system.
Dubas also touched on defenseman Harrison Brunicke and the progress he's made since training camp. He stressed that they believe his development plan - which included off-ice conditioning, five pre-season games, nine NHL games, five AHL games, and the World Junior Championship before ultimately being sent back to the WHL - ended up working out well for him. He is also impressed that Brunicke is playing on the top pairing for WBS during the Calder Cup Playoffs and that he has been tasked with some of the toughest minutes.
"He can play center, he can play wing. He's been a part of teams that always seem to be winning. He's deeply committed to doing all the small things," Dubas said. "The best thing I've heard in the last couple of weeks is that the American League staff, they told Amanda Kessel that they went to show him the systems on intake when he got there last week after his team had lost in Game 7 to Moncton. And he had been watching every game and studying the systems, and he knew them all himself.
"So it's those types of small, little intangible things that fuel the size, the skating, the habits, the ability to carry the puck, create offense, get to the net."
Clearly, Dubas is happy with the pool of young talent that the Penguins already possess - even if he knows there is more work ahead to pull in big talent.
2. The Penguins still have some work to do in order to become Stanley Cup contenders... but, no, they're not "tearing it down"
One of the biggest points of emphasis in this press conference was the fact that - again - despite the progress the Penguins made this season by making the playoffs and proving they are a "good team," they're still pretty far off from being Stanley Cup contenders.
And a major part of that, Dubas said, is that they have to improve defensively - and that they intend to address that this summer.
"When we’re looking at the group as we transition moving ahead, I think, as a whole, defensively, we still continue to give up a lot both in terms of what we’re expected to give up and in terms of what we actually gave up," Dubas said. "Both were in the bottom-10 in the league, and it was a massive topic amongst [head coach Dan Muse] and me throughout the year, but more importantly in the last couple of weeks since we’ve been out. And it is the major focus as we head into the offseason.
"Really, it’s the area that we have to improve upon the most if we’re going to continue to make strides and push the team back into being a contender."
Sam Girard (front) and Kris Letang are two blueliners with uncertain futures heading into next season for the Penguins. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
"You look at all the other teams around the division, and you measure yourself up against them day in and day out," Dubas said. "Carolina, they're obviously the class of the division right now, they won the division by 15 or 16 points, and they haven't lost a playoff game. We're not close to that, so that's what we have to push to get to be at that stage where they're at, going to the Eastern Conference Final. They've obviously been at it for a long time now, 10-plus years.
"But that's what we have to work to get to. And until we get to that point — and I think even when you get there, you're happy only for a few minutes and then you start to worry about what's coming up behind."
So, if they're still that far off of contention, it makes sense to sell off veterans and go younger now, right? Well, not necessarily. And that brings us to the final point of emphasis from Dubas's presser.
There were multiple references in this press conference to Dubas heavily exploring the trade market this summer. Sure, he mentioned deals in the "Chinakhov mold," which definitely makes sense for where they're at and where they want to go. Those options would be more cost-effective, even if there is inherent risk.
But that's not the only thing he said. And there is one portion that stood out in particular:
“I think what we really lack are those players in their later 20s that are really true difference makers. Or mid-20s, late 20s, that are true difference makers," Dubas said. "I think if you’re one of those players that’s a free agent or your situation in your spot is not going well and you have some control, you can look at us and see very clearly that you’re going to be supported by a great coaching staff that gets the most out of players. But you’ll also have young players that are going to push from behind and older players that are going to set the tone.
“I think Pittsburgh, for all that it is as a city, a sports city, it’s a great place to play, a great place to grow and have a family. But also, I think in terms of the sporting side, for us on the hockey side, I think it should be one of, if not the most, appealing places to any player that has a choice in those matters. We’ll investigate all those as we go into the summer."
I don't know about you, but that sure sounds like a sales pitch to me.
And with some bigger names who fit that mold rumored to, potentially, be on the trade block this summer - such as Stars superstar Jason Robertson (26 years old), Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews (28), St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas (26), and Stars defenseman Thomas Harley (24) - could Dubas and the Penguins be pitching to those guys directly?
It's quite possible, and the Penguins have plenty of draft capital, cap space, and tradeable assets to work with. They would have to build out quite a big package in comparison to those other teams, but in the end, they have flexibility in terms of "tacking on" in trade packages that other organizations don't.
Dubas is confident in the young players the Penguins are already developing. But he recognizes that returning to sustainable contention will require both homegrown talent and the willingness to swing big when opportunity arises.
"I think if we're going to take really big steps next year that [are] sustainable, it's going to be by using the cap space that we have, but [also] the assets that we have, the draft picks, the prospects, etc, to go and acquire somebody," Dubas said. "Is that going to be possible? We're sure going to find out. But I'm being open with you because that's the path ahead.
"We don't have a mirage in our view, in the office, that next year all these young guys are going to magically all hit. They're prospects for a reason. Some of them are going to reach their potential. Some of them are going to go beyond their potential. But you don't know if some of them are. We've amassed a good quantity there. We have to see which ones can develop into true quality guys, and then we have to use that to just supplement, really, on the proven players in their mid 20s, late 20s, that we know what we're getting. I think that's the area where we'll be able to take steps."
In conclusion: Buckle up, Penguins' fans. This could be a pretty fun summer.
The Buffalo Sabres appear to be making some significant lineup changes for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Final against the Montreal Canadiens after two straight losses in which they have been outscored 11-3.
At the morning skate at the Bell Centre, goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was in the starter’s goal, 20-year-old rookie Konsta Helenius skated on the third line in between Jason Zucker and Jack Quinn, and veteran Luke Schenn took the place on the bottom pairing with Conor Timmins. Ryan McLeod shifted to the fourth line with Jordan Greenway and Beck Malenstyn, and Sam Carrick skated as an extra forward after getting slugged by Montreal defenseman Arber Xhekaj.
Luukkonen has not played since Game 2 of the series against Boston, after allowing four goals in the first two periods, one from center ice on a Morgan Geekie dump-in and another from Viktor Arvidsson 16 seconds into the third period. The 27-year-old Finn went 22-9-3, with a 2.52 GAA, and .910 save percentage in 35 games during the regular season, but is 1-1, with a 4.19 GAA, and .825 save % in the playoffs.
Montreal has won the depth battle so far in the series with Buffalo
Head coach Lindy Ruff was cagey at the media availability on Tuesday, not confirming any potential lineup juggling, but said that the addition of Helenius was to inject some offense into his forward group. The 20-year-old scored nearly a point-per-game in his second season with the AHL Rochester Americans, and three points in the Amerks first round loss to the Toronto Marlies. Schenn has played 58 playoff games with six different clubs and won two Stanley Cups, and may be inserted into the lineup as a physical presence after the shenanigans that occurred during and after the loss.
Ruff may be looking for something to snap the Sabres out of their current funk, similar to what Minnesota did by switching back to Jesper Wallstedt in Game 3 against Colorado, and what the Avalanche did by shifting to MacKenzie Blackwood after Scott Wedgewood had started the first seven playoff games.
In league discipline news, Sabres forward Beck Malenstyn was fined $3,515.63, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for running into Canadiens goalie Jakub Dobes in the second period on Sunday. Xhekaj was also fined $3385.42 for his right cross to the jaw of Carrick. The NHL finally came down with their ruling on Boston’s Charlie McAvoy, for his high sticking incident with Zach Benson. The Department of Player Safety has suspended McAvoy six games.
By now, we’re all used to NBA stars muscling their way to the top of the hobby’s leaderboard, from the courtside-to-cardboard hype of Ant-Man, to record-shattering Goldin gavels for Victor Wembanyama’s Black Shimmer 1-of-1. Well, as of this month, Nikola Jokic can add another notch to his Mile High résumé: the three-time MVP’s 2015-16 Panini Immaculate Collection RPA Logoman just sold for just over $1 million in Goldin’s April Elite Auction, becoming the first Jokic card to crack seven figures.
While Joker, who might become the sixth four-time MVP when the award is announced over the coming weeks, isn’t the only recent MVP getting hobby love, not all most valuable players are, well, quite as valuable.
Here’s how the last five different winners of the Michael Jordan Trophy stack up.
Long before the Joker crossed the seven-figure threshold, the Greek Freak set the modern-day basketball card ceiling when his 2013-14 Panini National Treasures Logoman 1/1 hammered for $1,857,300 at Goldin in September 2021. Giannis briefly held the title of most expensive modern basketball card ever sold, knocking The King off his throne. Other cards have since Topp(sed) it, but the Antetokounmpo still owns the title of having the priciest public sale of any active MVP.
The MVP-podium fixture finally got a hobby valuation to match his trophy case. The original owner waited nearly a decade to cash in at auction, but now they must be feeling like the three-time MVP and NBA champion himself. Well, maybe not after the star center’s first round playoff exit, but you get the idea.
The reigning MVP is the fastest riser on this list. SGA’s 2019 Panini Flawless Logoman Autograph 1/1 sold for $577,300 at Goldin just last month, the first SGA card to ever clear half a million. If the Thunder PG wins back-to-back MVP awards later this month, that price might look like a steal.
The Process delivered a 2022-23 MVP, but the hobby never quite trusted his knees. Embiid’s high-water mark is a 2014-15 National Treasures Logoman, which sold for a paltry (lol) $144,000 in January. Given that he’s the only MVP to never reach the Conference Finals, and that the 6ers didn’t put up much of a fight against the Knicks with what might’ve been his best-ever running mates, we might not see Embiid’s cards come close to his MVPeers.
The Beard’s 2017-18 MVP campaign feels like a lifetime ago, and his cardboard footprint reflects it. The most expensive Harden card ever sold was his 2009-10 Panini National Treasures /99, which sold for nearly $69,000 in 2001. With the Cavs taking both games at home against the Pistons, those looking to collect Harden cards might see some serious movement over the coming weeks. Then again, it looks like nobody stands a chance against his debut team, so a first-ever championship still seems unlikely. Even still, prime Harden was electric.
It’s Not Just MVPs
The gap from Giannis to Harden is more than 20x—but maybe there’s more to it than the player himself. In this case, the throughline seems to be the Logoman. Four of these five MVPs have at least one Logoman patch card in circulation, and the four biggest sales on this list (Giannis, Jokic, SGA, and Embiid) are all Logoman 1/1s. Is Harden’s rookie Logoman still floating around—and, if so, what is the owner doing with it? Was one even made way back in 2009?
Either way, the evidence is clear: An MVP trophy carries you to the upper echelon of the Hobby, but a Logoman gets you to seven figures.
Does Joker have a chance at the MVP or is SGA a lock? Let us know on Mantel.
NEW YORK (AP) — Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy has been suspended for the first six games of next season for slashing Buffalo’s Zach Benson.
The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced the ruling Tuesday after holding an in-person hearing at league headquarters in New York on Monday. That gave senior VP of player safety George Parros and Co. the option to suspend McAvoy for six or more games.
McAvoy was ejected for his retaliatory two-handed slash to the right arm of Benson, who seconds earlier tripped him and sent him crashing into the boards. The league called it a “dangerous trip” that was penalized.
The incident came with under two minutes left in the Sabres’ series-clinching victory in the first round of the playoffs on May 1, with the Bruins on the verge of being eliminated.
Benson tripped McAvoy with a slew foot, receiving a two-minute penalty. McAvoy got up and went after Benson with a baseball-swing slash. He received five minutes and a game misconduct.
The defenseman was offered an in-person hearing, giving the NHL Player Safety Department the leeway to suspend him for six games or more.
"All parties agree that this is an intentional and forceful strike delivered to an opponent's body specifically for the purpose of retribution and message sending," Player Safety said in a video explaining the decision.
Player Safety noted that it "is important to note that players are not excused from illegal acts just because of a prior foul by an opponent."
David Stearns and Carlos Mendoza provided Mets injury updates prior to Tuesday’s game against the Tigers…
Good news on Lindor
Francisco Lindor is feeling better, and he’s shed the boot on his left foot as he continues recovering from a calf strain.
Lindor is set to undergo a follow-up MRI within the next few days.
From that point, Stearns said that the team will get opinions from their doctors so they can start mapping out what a return to play looks like.
“We won’t know until we see the results of the MRI,” he said. “We need to get it over the next 48 hours or so and once we get that, we’ll get our doctors to map out a plan.”
Stearns also said the team isn’t concerned that Lindor’s injury could impact his Achilles.
The star shortstop has been on the IL since April 23.
Robert Jr. not progressing as planned
While both Stearns and Mendoza emphasized that A.J. Ewing’s call-up had nothing to do with Luis Robert Jr’s timeline, they didn’t have a positive update on the injured outfielder.
Robert hasn't been progressing as hoped, and he continues to deal with discomfort in his lower back.
“He’s still showing some symptoms there,” Mendoza explained.
The team hasn’t gotten any indication that surgery could be required, but they are consulting with additional specialists.
Robert received an injection upon landing on the IL two weeks ago, and the Mets said at the time that they didn’t expect him to miss much more than the minimum.
They do not have an update on his timeline, as of now.
Apr 5, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; New York Mets designated hitter Jorge Polanco (11) stands in the on deck during the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. / D. Ross Cameron - Imagn Images
Polanco’s ankle still symptomatic
The Mets will be without Jorge Polanco a bit longer as well, as he continues recovering from bursitis in his Achilles.
Stearns said Polanco’s ankle continues to show signs, and they have to get it asymptomatic before he can work his way back into the lineup.
“We have good days and then it flares up,” he said. “We need to get the ankle asymptomatic so we know he can go out on a daily basis, run the bases freely, and we’re not there yet.”
The team is currently following protocols put forward by specialists in that area, who have not recommended shutting Polanco down completely.
The veteran began the season but quickly developed the issue.
He played just two games at 1B, then was in and out of the lineup as the DH before landing on the IL on April 18.
Polanco resumed baseball activities over the past few weeks, but hasn’t been able to take the next step in his recovery, with the issue continuing to flare up.
Next step for A.J. Minter
The left-hander doesn’t appear far off from resuming his rehab assignment after completing a successful bullpen session on Tuesday at Citi Field.
Minter is expected to toss at least one more bullpen later this week.
He’ll then head to the minors to continue building up, but could be back up with the big league club before long.
Stearns said a two-to-three-week timeline is about right.
Minter, of course, wasn’t too far off from making his return to the Mets' bullpen before left hip discomfort caused him to pause his rehab last week.
He’d allowed just three runs (one earned) over eight appearances, at the time.
MESA, ARIZONA - MARCH 22, 2026: Henry Bolte #16 of the Athletics hits an RBI single during the second inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Hohokam Stadium on March 22, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
The Athletics announced a bunch of roster moves on Tuesday afternoon in the lead up to their series with the Cardinals kicking off:
That’s a lot of moves for one day. The biggest news is the promotion of Henry Bolte. One of the organization’s very top prospects, the former 2nd-round pick has absolutely demolished Triple-A pitching this season and will be rewarded with his first call up to the major leagues. With Denzel Clarke on the IL and Tyler Soderstrom and Lawrence Butler struggling, there is a clear and open path for Bolte to make an impression and make it so he never has to return to the minor leagues.
The other big news is the Wilson injury. After injuring his shoulder this weekend we saw the runner-up in last year’s AL ROTY voting in a sling so this placement isn’t exactly a surprise. It does sound as though it’s not a worst-case scenario for him as it’s to his non-throwing shoulder but the team will surely be cautious with their young infielder. There’s no set timetable for his return but it’s going to be at least a month before we see him suit up again. In the mean time expect to see plenty of Darell Hernaiz at shortstop for the Athletics.
The team is also bringing up infielder Michael Stefanic to help bolster the team’s depth on the dirt. The 30-year-old has spent parts of four seasons in the big leagues with the Angels and Blue Jays. He joined the A’s on a minor league deal this offseason and he’s slashed .250/351/.355 with a pair of long balls and a trio of steals for the Aviators. He has some experience at shortstop but hasn’t played there this season, getting most of his playing time at second and third base. He’s a depth piece for Mark Kotsay at this point but the A’s need bodies with Max Muncy and Jacob Wilson out of action.
The A’s weren’t done there. To make room for Stefanic on the roster the team demoted third baseman Brett Harris. The shine has worn off Harris as he’s struggled in his limited opportunities in the big leagues. He only got four at bats this year for the A’s and didn’t record a hit in those chances. For now he’ll return to Las Vegas and continue to try working on his game and force the team to give him another chance later this year.
And finally wrapping up the roster moves today, the team needed to create 40-man roster space and reliever Eduarniel Nuñez was the casualty. The flame throwing right-hander came over in the Mason Miller trade with the Padres last year but struggled in his time with the Athletics. Those struggles have continued this year as he’s allowed 7 runs in just over 11 innings of work. The A’s made him a part of the return for Miller so it’d be disappointing to see the team move on after less than a calendar year. Hopefully the team can sneak him through waivers unclaimed and get him back into the Las Vegas bullpen, but we’ll just have to wait and see if another team is more interested.
It’s rare that one moment in a game can end an entire season.
But for frustrated fans of Lakers Nation, they’re taking out their anger on head coach JJ Redick.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick is being questioned following a late-game decision that helped result in the Lakers season ending Monday night.NBAE via Getty Images Lakers head coach JJ Redick is being questioned following a late-game decision that helped result in the Lakers season ending Monday night.AP
With 12.2 seconds remaining in Game 4, the Lakers were trailing 113-110 when Redick called a timeout. As the Lakers broke the huddle, it made sense to see LeBron James, Austin Reaves, Luke Kennard and Marcus Smart take the court.
However, it was that fifth player that had everyone in the arena — including the announcers — questioning what was going on.
Maxi Kleber — the same Maxi Kleber who spent the previous 47 minutes and 48 seconds of game time sitting on the bench — took off his warmups and trotted out to take his place among the four others.
Meanwhile, Rui Hachimura — who 25 points on 4-of-8 from three, including a four-point play a minute earlier — took Kleber’s spot on the bench.
Rui Hachimura in 2026 playoffs:
33-58 3PT (56.9%)
Not on the floor for Lakers' possession needing a 3.
JJ Redick watched Rui Hachimura do this and sat him on the bench in the final seconds pic.twitter.com/tQsy00Cn0Y
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod (@big_business_) May 12, 2026
In the end, Reaves got a good look at a deep three — off a screen by Kleber — that clanged off the rim and ended the Lakers season.
It’s understandable why fans are mad at Redick regarding the move, but in a way it make a lot of sense.
Realistically, the ball was going to be shot by either James or Reaves. Kennard, who led the league after knocking down 47.8% of his threes, had to be out there as a decoy at the very least. Smart has a knack for knocking down big shot so his spot made sense.
Leaving Rui Hachimura out of the game in this moment makes zero sense.
He was having a phenomenal night and completely earned the right to be on the floor—maybe even taking the last shot.
It then came down to Hachimura, who was going to be the fourth option at best, or Kleber, a much better screen-setter. Considering that role was going to be a screener at the most, Kleber made a lot of sense and Redick got it right.
It might not be what Lakers fans want to hear, but Redick has earned the benefit of the doubt after another impressive season.
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